With the increasing cost of conventional fuels such as oil and natural gas, strong emphasis has been placed upon research involving the use of solar energy as an alternative energy source. Solar energy has proven to be a viable alternative to the more common energy sources presently in widespread use. The major criticisms concerning the use of solar energy revolve around two major aspects, namely, the cost involved in manufacturing solar energy heating devices as well as the efficiency of those devices. For those reasons, widespread use of solar heating apparatus has up to the present time been thwarted.